Busy or Faithful?

The busiest generation in history may not be the most productive one. An article that I read recently suggests that complaints about being busy are at an all time high in America, but that evidence of actual work getting done is lacking.

People say they are busy, and they may be quite busy, but relatively little is being accomplished by all this busyness. For too many, working long hours has become a substitute for working effectively. In many companies, those who work long hours are honored as martyrs, while those who work shorter hours (even if they accomplish more) may be belittled as lazy. It is a shame that this is happening in the business world, it is worse yet when it spills over into the church.

With Christians there are two things almost sure to be neglected when we begin to honor busyness.

Prayer will be neglected. From a human point-of-view it is counter-intuitive, but if there is a big and important job to be done, we should NOT get busy on it right away. We should pray before starting, while working, and after we have finished working on it. We may find that we will not be as busy, but we might be more effective, and we certainly will have been more faithful.

Preparation will also be neglected. The kind-hearted person who sets up a doctor’s office without “wasting time” going to medical school will soon be in deep trouble with the law. He may argue that he needs to get busy saving lives now, but his claim will not be heeded. Those who are too hasty sometimes take on work for which they are ill-prepared. They will likely stay very busy; but great harm may be the result. With regard to the medical profession there are clear guidelines to protect us from the hasty. Within some circles in the church, the practice of appointing the ill-prepared is an honored tradition. But it is one against which the scriptures warn (1 Tim 3:10; 5:22).